English-Rhetoric and Composition - Ph.D. Download to print

The Ph.D. in English–Rhetoric and Composition concentrates on the ways literacy practices shape people's lives in educational, workplace, and public spheres. The coursework emphasizes data-rich and methodologically sophisticated research and prepares students to investigate literacy, rhetoric and social practice. Collaborative research with faculty, administrative opportunities, and community outreach prepare students to sustain and advance the discipline. Graduates contribute in meaningful ways to university communities and the larger public sphere.

Official transcript(s), GRE, goal statement, three letters of recommendation and a 8-15 page writing sample relevant to the field of study. All requirements are reviewed and evaluated holistically. For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate Studies website.
 

Students admitted to the Rhetoric and Composition doctoral major complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of doctoral-level coursework. Students, with guidance from faculty, complete a language requirement and a qualifying examination before writing a dissertation prospectus. The language requirement can be satisfied by either a second language or a representational system, if the latter is relevant to the student’s course of study. Upon the successful completion of the qualifying examination, students form a dissertation committee whose members direct the student through the dissertation and the completion of the degree.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Develop knowledge of the field of Rhetoric and Composition, its application in diverse contexts, and its role in contemporary culture.
2. Generate research questions, develop appropriate research designs, and practice ethical modes of inquiry.
3. Participate in local and international communities of like-minded scholars and teachers.
4. Contribute new knowledge in the field of Rhetoric and Composition.